the obama administration, i'm quoting him now, of a, quote, massive cover-up. let's bring inourpentagoncorrespondentbarbara starr. she's working this story for us. how those are pretty stinging and strong words, barbara. >> reporter: absolutely, wolf. you know, the whole benghazi situation has already led to delays in confirming some of president obama's key appointees. chuck hagel at defense, john brennan at the cia, and now senator mccain saying he is not ready to call it a day on all of this. a congress hearing -- >> then you ought to have your facts straight. >> reporter: after congressional hearing. >> who responsible then? >> reporter: republican senator john mccain challenge, the white house on its response to benghazi. now he is going further on nbc's "meet the press." >> so there are many, many questions and we have had a massive cover-up. >> a cover-up of what? i'm just saying you, a cover-up of what? >> i'll be glad to send you a list of questions that have not been answered. >> reporter: the white house says it's given answers. conducted 20 briefings for congress. official

on capitol hill right now on the a hearing for the benghazi terror attack where he addressedthepentagon's responseto the assault on our consulate on september 11th. four americans, including our ambassador to libya, died in that attack. this comes just a day after mr. panetta emotionally charged parting speech to students at georgetown university where he blasted the massive defense cuts known as the sequester, set to go into effect just weeks from now. >> if sequester happens, let me tell you some of the results. we will furlough as many as 800,000 dod civilians around the country for up to 22 days. they could face a 20% cut in their salary. you don't think that will impact on our economy? you don't think that's going to impact on jobs? you don't think that's going to impact on our ability to recover from the recession? jon: mr. panetta also deliver ad stark warning about the scale and scope of cyber attacks on this country saying they could cripple the united states. >> we are literally the target of thousands of cyber attacks every day. every day. thousands of sigher about attacks t

. just this morning, i was over atthepentagonandi took advantage of the opportunity to sit down with the navy's top ship-building official to discuss what the impact of sequestration would be for our naval fleet. well, one example we've already seen. the navy will keep the u.s.s. abraham lincoln, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, in port rather than repairing and deploying it. across the fleet, the navy is being forced to reduce deployments, maintenance and overhauls for critical repairs. when we look at the ship-building budget, it is evident that sequestration and the continuation of a partial year funding resolution known as the continuing resolution would be absolutely devastating for our navy, for shipbuilding and for our skilled industrial base, and that includes bath ironworks in maine which i'm so proud of which builds the best destroyers in the world. and this has consequences, not only for our work force but also for our national security. it's important to note that secretary panetta has made clear that allowing these sweeping cuts to go into effect would be -- quot

the drop program should fall underthepentagon, notthe cia. you can listen to rebroadcast on c-span radio today. richards in result -- richard is on the line. what do you think about the drone's strikes? >> it is very vast modern-day technology. there will always be people killed a matter what we do. we have to grow up and understand that. the aclu is the biggest group of nuts on the planet. thank you. host: edmond, oklahoma. caller: i would just like to say one thing. the aclu is on the front of maintaining our constitutional rights. you may not agree with some of , but iflenges, i don't things they overall doing a good job. as far as the drones, they're working in that uncovered. in pakistan. i live in oklahoma and it has been in the paper recently that we have drone's being used here. one of your previous caller said there was a bill. from what i understand, we already have them here. we have a republican governor right now is in violation is not transparent, taking orders from right wing not jobs back east. and she now has these drones at her disposal. host: we heard earlier from form

appropriate, too. the cia tothepentagon, hehas demonstrated the highest caliber of integrity, wisdom, and patriotism. he has been a great partner and a great friend. what he said about humanity and being a human being in this role is worth repeating. it is easy to get caught up in the work and the intensity, the drive that is necessary to work those long days and short nights. it is sometimes too easy to forget why we do what we do, both military and civilian. for many of you, it has been a career choice, both my colleagues from the defense department and rom state, for others of us, it is something that we came to later and were involved in luckily and gave us a chance to serve. for all of us remembering why we do this work and how important it is to the future, especially future generations, is something leon panetta has never forgotten. i know that as leon heads back to california, he will, along with is absolutely wonderful wife, sylvia, continue to use the panetta institute to train the next generation of leaders. i also want to say a special word of thanks to general dempsey. i

to the cia, tothepentagon, hehas demonstrated the highest caliber of and secretintegrity and wisd. he is not only been a great partner but a great friend. i think you have to postpone for a while removing the 8 seconds delay for the sensors until he actually does leave the building. [laughter] but what he said the documentary, about being a human being in these roles, as brett repeating. it is easy to get so caught up with until the work and intensity, the drive necessary to work those long days and short night's. it is sometimes too easy to forget why we do what we do, both military and civilian. for many of you, it has been a career choice. both my colleagues from the defense department and from state. for others of us, it is something that became too later and were involved in luckily becky was a chance to serve. but for all of us, remembering why we do this work and how important it is to the future, especially future generations, is something leon panetta has never forgotten. i know that as leon does eventually head back to california, he will, along with this wonderful wife, con

chuck hagel's corn firmationaspentagonchief.what could republicans do? they could filibuster, i hear no signals that that's going to happen. i do not think that opposing the president's choice for a cabinet position is something that republicans want to fight with a filibuster. that's heavy artillery, i'm not sure they want to do, but they will voice their displeasure on the floor. most observers watching this think you're likely to see chuck hagel as the next defense secretary. >> if panetta doesn't serve up the red meat republicans want, could that hold up hagel's confirmation? >> he was out of office during benghazi, what did hold it up, there were republicans who said, until we get the current defense secretary who was around during bengha benghazi, down here in front of these committees, we're not going to confirm chuck hagel. >> what does this mean for the push for gun control measures? >> i think what we can say, watching the president from the time of the new town connecticut shootings, he promised to use the bully pulpit to push this. and he has. i think he will continue to

. the abuse and waste and the fraud is astoppedding. i thinkthepentagonneedsto be paired down. we need the pentagon to look at their own priorities." we are pressed for time so i would, if i could, have the joint chiefs go down the line, quickly, if you can answer with yes or no, whether you agree with the general characterization that the senator made. that'd be great. [laughter] >> let me try it. it's a good question. it's a fair question. i don't -- i can't speak for senator hagel, but my interpretation of that is that it is along the lines of something that secretary gates used to say which was that we had accumulated over the decade post-9/11 when our budget was just kept going up over year, and i said this in lo gist ticks. when the budget goes up year in and year out, it's fair to say that when you had a management problem, all of our managers, they -- it was easy to reach for more money to solve your managing problem, whether it's a technical program or problem or something like that. it was noticeable as secretary in logistics that in some places that having had accumulated ov

is astounding.thepentagonneedsto be pared down. methepentagontolook at their own priorities." we are pressed for times. -- the pentagon needs to look at their own priorities." we are pressed for times. you agree with this general perception that senator hagel -- chuck hagel made. that would be great. >> that is a good question. it is a fair question. i cannot speak for senator hagel. my interpretation is that it is along the lines of something that secretary gates used to say. we had accumulated over the decade post 9/11 when our budget was going up every year. when your budget goes year and year out, it is fair to say we have a management problem, all of our managers, it was easy to reach for more money to solve your managing problem, whether it is a technical problem in a program or something like that. it was noticeable to me that the logistics in some places that have accumulated over the decades. that is my secretary gates started his efficiency initiative, which i was part of. our efforts to reform the system improved our performance. in parallel, we have absorbed billions

right now. chris lawrence joins us fromthepentagonwiththat. so, chris, what do you know right now about his military background? >> well, erin, he's an officer. navy lieutenant in the naval reserve, who was just honorably discharged, just a couple weeks ago. you know, in his manifesto, he wrote the u.s. navy didn't instill the values of honor, courage, and commitment in me, but i thank them for sort of reemphasizing it in me. basically, he served in what was called a riverine unit. it's a small water, they work close to shore, ports, things like that, doing security. in fact, he deployed overseas to do security on an oil platform. so sort of different than what we think of as traditional navy. and right now, ncis, the naval criminal investigative service, is sharing a lot of that information with the local authorities there in l.a.. >> and chris, i'm curious, because back to this manifesto, this 11,000-word manifesto that he wrote, he wrote about his markenmanship and he said, i have always been the top shot, highest score, expert in rifle qualifications in every unit i have been

true from the first year i was inthepentagonin1962. it is by far the best military acquisition program in the world than it is certainly better than other government agency acquisition programs, some of which have also been involved. >> we grade on a curve there. don't worry. [laughter] >> there are seven things here that lead us in the wrong direction that i want to mention. it's a little confrontational. i do not think there is a legislative way to fix the acquisition. i do think the point made by admiral roughead is extremely important. you have to get the acquisition process, the requirements process working together more seamlessly than the currently do. that would be an important step forward. i do not believe there is a legislative design that can fix the whole matter. it is my experience and the secretary proposition which we had a drawdown that was closer to the 16%, may be in excess of that, there and what is planned for today, that it is very important to look at these two proposals. one is to cut half the programs if it exceeds 10% of the design costs. i will point

:thepentagonfacingsweeping budget cuts which lefers secretary leon panetta would be a threat to our security. >> i don't want to see taxes increased but i would like to see the president call the leaders over to the white house and say, look, we have got to solve this problem. outgoing secretary of defense, leon panetta, is one of the most widely respected persons in washington, d.c. he's saying this will devastate tour security. republicans and democrats are responsible for this new cliff. and i'll take responsibility for the republicans but we have got to stop it, we have to avoid it. bill: you are going to hold a hearing tomorrow on these cuts. what is your best solution? >> i believe the cuts are going to happen. the president is insistent on tax increases or cuts and i think he gets spending cuts, about half of them are in the military. the best solution is let the defense department target those cuts rather than take across the board cuts. i think they will happen. i'm not going to be for tax increases and i suspect there will be no taxes. bill: just to be clear, the sequestration will

.thepentagonbudgetis expected to be cut to $47 billion over the past month. it is argued that these budget cuts would hurt military readiness. secretary ashton carter, and representatives of each branch of the military have testified. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] >> good morning, everybody. the committee meets this morning to consider the impact of sequestration and a full year of continuing resolution on the department of defense. we welcome the deputy secretary of defense, ashton carter, and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, general martin dempsey, who is accompanied by with the following friends. robert hale, chief of staff of the army, general ray odierno, vice chief of operations, mark ferguson, and general james amos, chief of staff of the air force general mark welch and chief of the national guard bureau, general frank grabs. i would like to stop by thanking all of you. please convey our thanks to the soldiers, airmen and marines at home and in harms way around the globe. they and their families deserve our utmost support. some members of congress an

atthepentagonandintelligence advisory board, chuck hagel is uniquely qualified to meet challenges of defense and effort he put into the record many statements in support of senator hagel. this is what he says relative to a rant. iran poses a significant threat. >> please take your conversations outside the chamber. senate will proceed. >> no one talks about position on iran. poses a significant threat to the united states and interest in the region and globally. iran pursues an illicit nuclear program with the threats to provoke a regional arms race. and is fully committed to the quote preventing iran from obtaining new layer but then to achieve that goal and relative to israel, he's a strong supporter of israel, deputy minister he is a good friend of israel and in the word of dna alone says he believes and is not talking a senator hagel in the natural partnership between israel and the united states as part of the volume of defense relations between israel and the united states, which are so important to both countries. now the only question is what we're voting on. what we are voting on he

discuss their experiences and challenges and comment onthepentagon's recentlylifting of its ban on women in combat. they're joined by women who are served in the canadian and norwegian military. this event held here in washington d.c. it's about an hour. [inaudible conversations] >> thank you very much. [inaudible conversations] >> good morning. >> talking about new standards. so, anyway -- >> so all i can say is, wow. wow. i mean, it's really an honor to be here and to hear the testimonies of those amazing women who not only are deck candidated -- decorated combat veterans but are ridiculously articulate and to hear what their experiences were and what they had to share this morning. i'm truly honored to be here with this panel. all of these women are truly accomplished and have lifted the groundwork on lift -- they've been part of women forging areas into new paths of previously hi reticket -- previously-restricted service, and they have expertise on gender integration in the military. so their full bios are available in your program, but i'll give them each a brief introducti

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